Storage apparatus.



PATENTBD MAR. 10, 1 903 I A. 0. JOHNSTON.

STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1902.

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No. 722,515. v PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

' A. O. JOHNSTON.

STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1902.

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PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903 A. U. JOHNSTON. Y

STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 10, 1902.v

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PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

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I STORAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1902.

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NITED STATES FFIEQ ARTHUR C. JOHNSTON, OF BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DODGE COAL STORAGE COMPANY, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

STORAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 722,515, dated March 10, 1903 Application filed June 10, 1902. Serial No. 111,058. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. JOHNSTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing in Bristol, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Storage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for storing coal, rock, and other material in bulk.

My invention is especially applicable for storing soft or bituminous coal.

The object of my invention is to reduce the cost of an apparatus for storingin piles such material as soft coal, and yet provide an apparatus which will quickly store or reload the same. The preferred form of apparatus does away entirely with any overhead structural work.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved storage apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the traveling crane. Fig. 4 is a diagram plan view. Fig. 5 is a view showing the annular track mounted above the piling-floor. Fig. 6 is a view showing two connected plants, and Fig. 7 is a view of a modification.

A is a central pit or hopper into which the coal or other material is discharged. The pit is arranged, preferably, at the center of the storage-floor.

B B are the tracks on which the cars are run to deliver the coal to the pit or hopper and receive coal from the crane during the process of reloading.

D is a circular track surrounding the pit A, and arranged to travel on this track is a crane E, which is provided with the usual traction-wheels.

Mounted on the car-frame E is a platform E pivoted to the frame and supported on suitable wheels, so that it can revolve on the frame to shift the crane to any position desired. On this platform is the engine C, which is suitably geared to the traction-wheels of the car, so that the car can be propelled by the engine to any point on the track D. In

the present instance there is a shaft 0 run through the center of the pivoted structure, and this shaft is geared to a shaft 0, con nected to one or both of the axles of the car.

In order to rotate the platform Won the carframe E, a diagonal shaft e is used which is geared to the engine-shaft, and this shaft has a pinion meshing with the annular rack e on the car-frame. Suitable mechanism is provided for throwing into and out of gear the several shafts alluded to. When it is wished to rotate the platform on the frame, the diagonal shaft is thrown into gear, and when it is desired to shift the crane on the track D the vertical shaft 0 is thrown into gear.

Pivoted atf on the platform is a boom F. The outer end of this boom is supported'bya rope f, which passes around suitable pulleys to a winding-drum driven by the engine, so that the outer end of the boom can be raised and lowered. Passing around a suitable wheel f on the end of the boom isahoistingrope i, which is operated by a hoisting-drum connected to the engine, and suspended from this rope is a clam-shell or other form of bucket I. The arrangement of the ropes for supporting and operating the bucket and the boom may be varied without departing from the essential feature of my invention, the number of ropes employed depending upon the type of bucket used. I

In Fig. 6 I have shown two storage plants, each having a central pit and a circular track surrounding the pit and the two tracks connected by a straight piece of track, so that the crane can travel from one storage plant to the other. It will be understood that the number of storage plants may be multiplied without departing from my invention.

1 have shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the track D mounted directly on the ground or floor of the storage plant; but it will be understood that in some instances the track may be mounted above the level of the storage-floor, as in Fig. 5, either on trestles D or other suitable foundations.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the track D in the form of an oval, and in this instance the crane-boom is adjusted so as to bring the bucket always in line with the central pit.

In some instances instead of making an annularor oval track, as shown, a segmental track may be used; but I prefer the circular track as being the most economical in storage-space.

By my invention I can pile the material in two semicircular piles, one on each side of the receiving and delivery tracks B; butif desired the material may be piled over these tracks if a suitable protecting-cover is provided. In some instances these tracks may only extend to the pit, and a single track may be used instead of the two tracks shown; but I prefer the construction shown in the drawings.

It will be seen by my invention in referring to the diagram Fig. 4 that the crane can swing on the car in a complete circle, and by gradually moving the car forward the material can be progressively piled in any shape desired, the shape shown in dotted lines being the preferred form of pile. In storing soft coal the pile must not be high; but in storing other material the height of the pile can be increased above that shown in the drawings. When it is desired to reload or remove material from the pile, the crane can be so operated as to allow its bucket to dig'into the pile and deposit its load directly into cars on the tracks B B.

It will be understood that the term pit used in the claims is to be construed to cover a pit, hopper, or other receptacle for material to be piled on the storage-floor situated either below or above the said floor.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination in a storage apparatus, of a storage-floor, a pit, a track situated at a given distance from the pit, a traveling car on the track, a crane pivoted on the car, a bucket hung from the outer end of-the crane, said crane being arranged to swing from the pit over the storage-floor, so that the bucket can receive material from the pit and, by moving the crane on its pivot, be transferred to any point above the storage-floor, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a storagefloor, an annular track thereon, a pit on the storagefloor within the track, a car arranged to travel on the track, a crane pivoted to the car and a bucket hung from the crane, the whole being so arranged that the bucket can receive material from the pit and transfer it by the movement of the crane to any point on the storage-floor, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a storage apparatus, of a storage-floor, a central pit, tracks lead ing to the pit so arranged that the contents of the cars on the track can be discharged into the pit, 'a track at a given distance from the pit, a car on the track, a crane pivoted on the car and arranged to swing over the piling-floor and pit, and a bucket carried by the crane, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a storage apparatus, of a central pit, tracks on each side of the pit, segmental storage-floors beyond the tracks, a circular track on the piling-floor surrounding .the pit, a car arranged to travel on the said track, a crane having its pivot on the car, and

a bucket carried by the outer end of the crane and arranged to swing over the pit and pilingtloor, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a storage apparatus, of two or morepits, an annular track surrounding each pit, tracks connecting one circular track with the other, a traveling pivoted crane havinga boom, and a bucket hung from said boom, the crane being so arranged as to travel from one piling-floor to another, receive material from a pit and transfer it to a piling-floor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR G. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

